The company has taken on new clients and staff after relocating from Taverham to Yarmouth Road.

Matthew Neale, partner at Haines Watts, said: “We believe having an office in the centre of Norwich is good for us, and good for our staff. We were outgrowing our premises. We have grown and we have taken on two new members of staff and we are looking for more staff. We are taking on more clients.”

He acknowledged that the accountancy market in Norwich was a challenging one, but believes the firm can win business.

He added: “We are a national firm, but what we find exciting is that we are growing in the local area and we are growing in line with Haines Watts nationally. Our ambition locally is to be closer to our clients and be a major player in East Anglia.”

He explained: “In the old days you would be with your accountant, bank manager and lawyer for life. Now, we have to demonstrate value for money and a good service. We are holding on to our clients and taking on new ones. At the moment the way the economy is, people are struggling. We want to want to make sure people are not paying too much tax. If we can, we will help people to bring down their tax bills.”

Haines Watts started in the Thames Valley and now has 50 national offices and an annual turnover of £61.7m. This year it won auditor of the year for SMEs in the FDs Excellence Awards. In East Anglia the firm employs about 30 staff including in the new Norwich office, Diss, Great Yarmouth and Thetford, Colchester and Ipswich.

How can you bring new skills into your business when staff turnover is low and money may be tight? SHAUN LOWTHORPE talks to the Future50 businesses swapping ideas as part of an informal work shadowing programme.